11/14/2025

IRONWOOD - Aspirus’s decision to close the OB department in Ironwood has sparked concerns regarding the quality of healthcare in the western U.P. Michigan Regional President Natalie Seaber attributed the closure to a declining birth rate, noting only 83 deliveries last year, and difficulty in recruiting and retaining necessary staff. However, Ironwood nurse Sarah Trudgeon called the cutting of essential services “unacceptable,” arguing it endangers U.P. residents and demonstrates a lack of investment. She added that nurses are consistently asked “to do more with less.” Seaber countered that Aspirus is still committed to investing, pointing to a new CT scanner in Ironwood and significant renovations at the Keweenaw and Houghton Clinics. Both Seaber and Trudgeon agree on the ultimate goal: the best possible healthcare for U.P. residents. Trudgeon stressed that nurses remain dedicated, vowing to “continue to put patients first.”